Drug and Alcohol Monthly Media Briefing

Media Releases              

National

Alcohol

No longer a nation of beer drinkers (ABS) 18 January
FebFast 2011 will improve your health and wellbeing (ADCA) 20 January
A drinking nation (DrinkWise) 27 January
We’re drunk and feeling appealing, but do others agree? (Febfast) 28 January
Drinkwise to help consumers get the facts (Drinkwise) 28 January
Health groups welcome proposed changes to alcohol labels (VicHealth) 28 January
ADCA Urges Alcohol Industry to Follow Brewer’s ‘lead’ (ADCA) 31 January
Australian Drug Foundation helps clubs ditch the reliance on booze (ADF) 3 February
Alcohol experts call for greater parental control over underage drinking (ADF) 16 February
Alcohol and drug use research boosted by ARC Future Fellowship (Burnet Institute) 16 February

Drugs

Latest national teen drug usage statistics released (Gov) 18 January
Measuring the effectiveness of drug law enforcement (AIC) 4 February
Using technology to stop drug couriers at our airports (Gov) 23 February

Health Reform

Will the ‘New Gillard Health Reform’ Keep People Out of the Hospital System? (ADCA) 11 February
Members Sought for Preventive Health Advisory Council (Gov) 16 February

Indigenous Issues

Slight reduction in Indigenous smoking, but binge drinking a worry (AIHW) 8 February
Delivering services to close the gap (Gov) 9 February
First Social Justice and Native Title Reports lay groundwork for year of change (AHRC) 11 February
New Staff Provided Across Victoria to Improve Indigenous Health (Gov) 18 February
Minister Snowdon Opens Indigenous Research Forum (Gov) 24 February

Not for Profit Regulator

Long overdue - real reform for community organisations (CCA) 21 January
Next Step To A National Not For Profit Regulator (Gov) 21 January

Smoking/Tobacco

Cigarettes bring cancer closer: Largest-ever National Tobacco Campaign kicks off (Gov) 30 January
Nicotine patches as cheap as $5 from tomorrow, bringing new inspiration to quit (Quit) 31 January
Kicking the habit easier from today (Gov) 1 February
Pharmacists help consumers to quit (PSA) 1 February
Big tobacco rehashes plain pack attack (ASH) 22 February

Other

AER Foundation appoints new CEO (AERF) 27 January

Australian Capital Territory

ACT students continue healthy trends (Gov) 18 January

New South Wales

NSW Liberals & Nationals to fund programs to help end drug and alcohol addiction (NSW Liberals) 19 January
Approval granted for university medical research centres (Research Australia) 27 January
Labor's cuts to drug treatment make NSW Libs and Nats policy more urgent (Liberal Party) 28 January
Better Patient Care: NSW Liberals & Nationals $20 Million Boost For Medical Research (Liberal) 14 February
AMA (NSW) welcomes NSW Liberals & Nationals proposal for a medical research plan (AMA) 14 February
Liquor outlet density and assault  (Gov) 24 February
New research backs City plan to tackle alcohol violence (Gov) 24 February

Northern Territory

CLP Must Support Government’s Alcohol Reforms (Gov) 31 January
Whole Community Needs to Fight Social Problems (Gov) 20 February
New Figures Show Alcohol Reforms On Track (Gov) 22 February

South Australia

Greens Welcome Smoke Free Rundle Mall Consultation (SA Greens) 1 February

Tasmania

Getting even tougher on tobacco (Gov) 31 January
Liberals take money from tobacco companies (Gov) 1 February

Victoria

Fasting to send a sober message (Liberal) 15 February
Liquor Fees halved for low risk licensees (Nationals) 17 January
Baw Baw first to open tobacco debate in regional Victoria (Quit) 24 February

Western Australia

New ‘Drug Aware’ ecstasy prevention campaign for Western Australia (Gov) 24 January
New tobacco campaign can save lives (WA Health) 31 January
New research points to better health for Kimberley residents (Gov) 9 February
Liberal Government still accepts donations from tobacco companies (Gov) 23 February
Ministers responsible for drug and alcohol issues to meet in Perth (Gov) 24 February

News Articles              

Alcohol

Police call for curbs on alcohol trading hours 24 January
Kings Cross police warned 'you will be assaulted' 25 January
Call to lock up problem drunks 1 February
Cars That Detect Grog Via Your Hands Being Considered 2 February
Newcastle University study investigates alcohol related crime in rural towns 4 February
Call for .02 limit for young drivers 8 February
Alcohol bans linked to lower STD rate 9 February
More kids in Australia becoming alcohol addicts 14 February
If it saves lives we'll do it, says Kieran Walshe 14 February
No plan to reduce blood alcohol limits: Ryan 14 February
Melbourne needs to change its culture of drinking to excess 15 February
Motoring group says .02 is no answer 16 February
Doctors hit out at binge drinking 17 February
Coroner urges police not to chase drunks 17 February
Parents have big bearing on kids drinking 21 February
Animation to highlight grog brain damage 21 February
Tough measures to fight violence in CBD 22 February
Navy considers alcohol ban after damning report 23 February
Defence points finger at binge drinking 23 February
Alcohol outlets in assault spotlight 25 February
Grog bans face High Court test 28 February
I need help for alcohol - Todd Carney 28 February

Drugs

Males fuel rise of the Ritalin generation 24 January
Drug workers need help 25 January 
Drug syndicates target mule losers 30 January 
Mafia and Mexicans unite for drug push 31 January 
Ecstasy emerges as secret choice of middle age 1 February
Prescription drug use increasing as athletes try to avoid detection 2 February
Research to probe risk of drugged drivers 2 February
Drug allies are full of hypocrisy 3 February
Sleeping pills not a problem: Demetriou 3 February
Medical journal bans drug company ads, 3 February
AFL's drug tests are not only pointless, they may be hazardous, 4 February
Fewer drug shipments being seized 7 February
Marijuana links with psychosis 8 February
State places laws above charter 8 February
Why it's known as reefer madness 9 February
Australian on drug charge in Thai court 14 February
Liberal MP Bernie Finn wants death penalty for drug lords 11 February
Coroner cautions on methadone 21 February
Queensland police reveal 1 in 49 motorists test positive for drugs 25 February

Homelessness

Unreliable statistics leave many out in the cold 25 February

Indigenous Issues

Poor social conditions drive Aboriginal reoffending: solicitor 24 January
Indigenous smoking rates in slow decline 8 February
Too many pregnant Aboriginal women smoking 8 February
PM's closing the gap speech on indigenous Australia, in full 9 February
The Kimberley's silent epidemic 10 February
ACTU partnership in indigenous campaign 16 February
Researchers lauded for indigenous collaboration 17 February
Destroyed in Alice 19 February
Make criticism a power source for change 19 February
Kimberley in grip of suicide emergency 22 February
Riding a gravy train that runs on Aboriginal misery 25 February
Aboriginal leaders call for end to intervention 27 February

Mental Health

New mental health campaign launched 18 February

Prisons

NSW Liberal Party supports prisoner needle exchange trial 22 February
New prisoners 'not being drug tested' 23 February

Smoking/Tobacco

Call for new tobacco tax 23 January
"When I see girls lighting up, I want to rush in..." 27 January
Cough campaign aims to help stop smoking 30 January
Nicotine patches available on PBS 1 February
Push for an end to duty-free tobacco 7 February
Cut-price cigs more common in poor areas 9 February
Decision removes judge from tobacco case 10 February
Call to ban smoking at play, sports grounds 14 February
Anti-smoking apps on the nose: study 10 February
Smoking harms mental health but quitters arrest decline, study finds 10 February

Sport

Evidence mounting on the harms of alcohol industry sponsorship of sport 31 January
Companies reject link between heavy drinking and sportspeople 15 February

Treatment Services

Odyssey House program almost out of funding 23 February

Youth

Bail hostels plan for young offenders 16 February

Other national articles

Concerns over bid to ban plants 27 January
AFP struggling with new responsibilities for terrorism, cyber-crime and people-smuggling 16 February
Send drunk or drugged drivers to jail 14 February

International news

AIDS/HIV

HIV drug craze hits the streets in South Africa 28 January
Drug use falling out of favour among young Britons 29 January
An H.I.V. Strategy Invites Addicts In 7 February
HIV patients out of drugs, harassed in Ukraine 15 February

Alcohol

Call that a drink? Uproar over alcohol label for beer 22 January
Alcohol and poor diet linked to UK breast cancer rates 24 January
Calls for alcohol price controls 24 January
Call to abandon alcohol duty rise 25 January
Liver disease soaring among young Britons 26 January
Fewer people drinking as recession hits 27 January
The price of a drink: survey reveals cost of alcohol abuse 31 January
Girl Aged 6 Admitted to Hospital For Being Drunk 10 February
NZ world leader on alcohol laws 11 February
Every fifth Russian man dies of alcohol 14 February
India's alcohol flows as cash and time freed up 14 February
Why is alcohol consumption falling? 15 February
Future medicines could suppress alcohol craving 17 February
Rise in high alcohol content drinks in NZ 21 February
Health experts attack ministers over UK alcohol deaths 22 February
Russia to finally classify beer as alcohol 23 February
Cheers as alcohol-related deaths fall across Lothians 23 February
Indian women lead fight for prohibition in villages 27 February

Drugs

Spurt in opium prices worries U.N. 24 January
Marijuana Soft Drinks In California 26 January
Obama: Drugs Should be Treated as a Public Health Problem 27 January
Obama: drug abuse requires broader policy response 27 January
The New Way to Smuggle Drugs Across the Border 27 January
Obama’s Youtube Response To The Cannabis Community 28 January
US offers to step up war on drugs, 4 February
Drug user jailed despite victim's mother's plea, 4 February
Kids getting hurt in Mexico's war on drugs 5 February
‘Legalise soft drugs’ 9 February
Activists push for heroin help in U.N. Russia visit 11 February
Drug War Anniversary a Time for Reflection and Action 11 February
Heroin 'Mr Bigs' targeted in Turkey 16 February
Drugs sold as bath salts easy to buy 16 February
New treatment using naltrexone implants can reduce heroin dependency: Study 16 February
Children get passive meth dose 17 February
164 addicts break out of rehab centre 21 February
Reports Filipino maids acting as drug mules 22 February
Human Rights NGOs to Thai government: Do not repeat history! 22 February

Energy Drinks

Pediatrics report details risks from energy drinks, says docs should warn kids against them 15 February

Youth

Misuse of alcohol and drugs during adolescence increases risk of health problems during middle age 9 February

Smoking/Tobacco

Smoking has had a huge effect on longevity in Canada 26 January
Ban on tobacco displays is shelved after firm’s appeal 26 January
Smoking addiction may be inherited 1 February
Bhutan monk faces jail for anti-smoking law violation 1 February
NY's attorney general sues online tobacco sites, 3 February
Tobacco taxes set to boost smuggling 6 February
Smoking All the Profits 13 February
Gov't and big tobacco in dispute over proposed ads 24 February
It is a myth that high duties on tobacco lead to increased smuggling 24 February

Recently Released Reports              

Social Justice Report 2010 (AHRC)
Health expenditure in Australia, 2008-09 (AIHW)
Substance use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (AIHW)